WASHINGTON — With less than a week before the polls close on Nov. 5, the U.S. Justice Department Wednesday reiterated its efforts to protect voters’ access to the ballot box through its civil rights, national security and criminal divisions.
“Protecting the right to vote, prosecuting election crimes, and securing our elections are all essential to maintaining the confidence of all Americans in our democratic system of government,” the Justice Department said in a press release.
The Justice Department said that any complaints relating to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be first reported to local authorities by calling 911 and then the agency for further action.
In Washington state and Oregon, two ballot boxes were set on fire. In North Carolina, yellow signs in Spanish have popped up outside voting locations warning people that voting by noncitizens is illegal, something that voting rights groups have called voter intimidation.
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There are heightened concerns from election officials and pro-democracy groups about attempts to disrupt the election process and the potential for violence once results are known.
A presidential victor is unlikely to be announced on election night or even the following day, which election officials have warned could easily sow distrust in the official results.
In Maricopa County, Arizona, the nation’s fourth most populous county, local and federal law enforcement officials said they are prepared for violence. Maricopa County was at the forefront of election fraud conspiracy theories in 2020.
Civil rights violations
The DOJ Civil Rights Division “is responsible for ensuring compliance with the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote and with the criminal provisions of federal statutes prohibiting discriminatory interference with that right,” according to the agency.
Any civil rights violations should be reported to the agency at 800-253-3931 or online.
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That division enforces the laws of the Voting Rights Act, the National Voter Registration Act, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, the Help America Vote Act and the Civil Rights Acts.
Under those laws it’s prohibited to intimidate voters, as well as have election practices that are either discriminatory or discriminate on the basis of “race, color, or language minority status.”
The Justice Department said that throughout the election, its attorneys “will be ready to receive complaints of potential violations of any of the statutes the Civil Rights Division enforces.”
Election-related crimes
The Criminal Division of the Justice Department enforces federal laws relating to election crimes such as voter fraud, destruction of ballots, vote-buying, submitting fraudulent ballots, altering votes and wrongdoing by election officials and employees.
That also includes any threats of violence against election workers and voter intimidation outside of reasons relating to discrimination.
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The Justice Department said any election-related complaints should be directed to the local U.S. Attorney’s Office or the local FBI field office.
The National Security Division in the Justice Department will handle any cases involving foreign influence.
In September, the Justice Department unsealed charges of the Russian government’s efforts to spread propaganda and try to influence voters, including the 2024 presidential election.
“As in past elections, the National Security Division will work closely with counterparts at the FBI and our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to protect our nation’s elections from any national security threats,” the Justice Department said.
URI coach Archie Miller speaks after Rams beat Temple, 85-79
Led by Sebastian Thomas down the stretch, the Rhode Island Rams end their nonconference schedule with a win over Temple in a holiday tournament.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — It wound up being just a one-game absence for Sebastian Thomas due to a foot injury, and how much the University of Rhode Island needs the veteran guard was on full display Saturday evening.
The former Bishop Hendricken standout flashed some ice cold blood in the final seconds against Temple, making the two biggest plays that dropped an old Atlantic 10 rival.
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Thomas knocked down a wing 3-pointer that snapped the game’s sixth tie, then came up with a steal on the ensuing possession. The Rams avoided what would have been a painful meltdown in the second half and instead surged into league play off the back of an 85-79 victory at MassMutual Center.
More: Rhode Island men’s basketball is on the rise in coach Archie Miller’s 3rd year in Kingston
Thomas conjured up a four-point play with 20.8 seconds left to break a 79-79 deadlock, the highlight in his second double-double of the season. He finished with 20 points and 10 assists after missing a victory over Central Connecticut State last time out. URI made relatively routine work of the Blue Devils at the Ryan Center but could have been in serious trouble against the Owls here.
“Sebastian stepped up when it was money time,” URI coach Archie Miller said. “He delivered not only from the foul line and his last shot, but he made plays for others.”
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More: Providence basketball drops Big East home opener in a heartbreaker. Here’s what happened
Miller called a timeout with 37.6 seconds left looking to snap a string of three straight missed shots. Thomas drew two defenders off the dribble on the left side, David Green drew two more on a drive into the paint and Thomas drifted open on the wing. He fired a jumper and absorbed some contact on the wrist from Quante Berry, resulting in a four-point play that made it an 83-79 game.
“I was confident,” Thomas said. “I feel like in those situations you just have to make the right pass. I threw it back to (Green), he drove and my guy kind of helped.”
It was a shot reminiscent of the late dagger Thomas plunged into Providence at the Ryan Center to begin the month. The Rams held on for a 69-63 triumph over the Friars. They matched that margin against the Owls, an old league foe that had captured the last seven meetings in the series. Javonte Brown added his own double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, helping to author the perfect lead into a New Year’s Eve trip to Duquesne.
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“We knew they were a good defensive team,” Brown said. “We also knew the advantage was me on the inside. Shoutout to my teammates for finding me.”
Thomas sealed the victory on the defensive end. Jamal Mashburn Jr. missed a 3-pointer and Shane Dezonie gathered an offensive rebound along the right baseline. Thomas stripped Dezonie from behind and was fouled with 10.1 seconds left, setting up a pair of free throws to close it out.
“My foot is definitely improving,” Thomas said. “I wasn’t 100% going into the game, but I think it was a mindset thing. The team needed me — the team wanted me to play.”
The Rams (11-1) squandered a 16-point lead with 14:54 left and were in danger of absorbing a painful defeat. Jaden House answered a Mashburn drive down the lane with one of his own to make it 77-77, and URI never trailed over the final 2:59. Mashburn entered averaging 20.8 points per game but went just 5-for-20 from the field, as the Rams did just enough to limit other options and survive.
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“These guys are probably exhausted from hearing his name,” Miller said. “That’s how much the game plan really kind of stressed what he was doing.”
The Owls (7-5) took a 36-35 edge into halftime before falling in a deep hole. URI was at its sharpest through the opening 5:34 out of the locker room, zipping out to a 56-40 cushion thanks to no turnovers and sizzling shooting. Green’s 3-pointer from the left corner capped an 8-for-9 stretch from the field.
“We looked right,” Miller said. “Guys were really sharing it. Our defense was creating some offense for us. We capitalized.”
The Rams followed by giving the ball away six times in less than six minutes, and Temple built its own momentum. The Owls were 12-for-18 from the field after a 1-for-6 start, and a Mashburn jumper from the right baseline gave them a 72-71 advantage with 5:36 left. Miller called a timeout prior to the ensuing possession and looked to reset.
“You found a way to win 11 games,” Miller said. “They found a way to do it again here tonight.”
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Javonte Brown scored 21 and Sebastian Thomas sealed the victory with a 3-pointer with 21 seconds left as Rhode Island knocked off Temple 85-79 on Saturday night at the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic.
Brown added 10 rebounds for the Rams (11-1). Thomas scored 20 points while going 4 of 7 from the floor, including 3 for 6 from 3-point range, and 9 for 9 from the line and added 10 assists. David Green went 6 of 12 from the field (3 for 6 from 3-point range) to finish with 17 points.
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The Owls (7-5) were led by William Settle, who finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and two steals. Temple also got 17 points and three steals from Shane Dezonie. Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 14.
Green scored 10 points in the first half and Rhode Island went into the break trailing 36-35. Thomas scored 15 points for Rhode Island in the second half.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Lindy McDonough started her brand, Lindquist (the full version of her Swedish middle name), with a rule about glue. It had to be high quality, holding together the layers of her unique bags, but also free of VOC—a toxic compound used by most leather bag brands—and all other toxins. The rule was a non-starter because it’s both a nexus and metaphor for the brand’s ethos.
In 2020, McDonough started Lindquist with her husband, Conor MacKean, a mechanical engineer, and Kate Gronner, head of production, in a small factory in Providence, Rhode Island. “We had dreams—we still have big dreams—about what we wanted to do, but we wanted to do it the right way,” she tells Vogue. The right way meant ethically handmade bags created by a team that earns competitive wages, with full healthcare and benefits. It also means no toxic dyes, no waste, and only high-quality, vegetable-tanned leather. “[We thought] if we make a beautiful thing and treat people well, it will work,” she says of the beginning stages.
Designer Lindy McDonough in her Rhode Island studio.John Hesselbarth & Kate Foster of Apparition
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